Cronky

I suspect if it had been a club game, Hughton would have rested him, as a precaution. With it being an international, it's out of his hands.

I think the result said more about Chelsea than it did about Sunderland. It was a makeshift team, but as when we played them in the League Cup, the reserve players didn't look too bothered. These star players aren't going to be too happy at being out of the first team, and don't look too inclined to bust a gut when called upon.

I still think that Man Utd away is the only game in which the opposition have looked better than us and that has to be quite encouraging. I also think that if Ben Arfa had played in games like Saturday we would probably have won them. I'd tend to agree with that. Man U was the only game where we've been outclassed. Arsenal can play football of which we're not capable, but we set them problems. We were unlucky not to get something at Man City. Really, apart from the big two, we look capable of picking up points anywhere.

It was actually the best I've seen Lovenkrands play this season. On the other occasions, he just hasn't managed to get involved at all. This time, he at least got on the end of two or three chances. He used his experience to time his runs well. The trouble is, if that's his only contribution, then he's really got to take one of those chances to be worth his place. It's the Owen syndrome. If you decide to pick a specialist finisher, then they've really got to able to put at least one opportunity away.

It may be my imagination, but knee-jerk booing whenever any home team doesn't win a game that the fans expect them to win seems to have become quite widespread. Every game is analysed in a lot more critical detail by the media these days, and the idea seems to have developed that a disappointing result must be somebody's fault. The reality is that most teams at this level are fairly evenly matched, and luck plays a significant part in how things fall. Having watched the 60 minute highlights on Sky, it did look like we had some opportunities. The time to worry for the future is when we don't create chances in a match, not when we don't score.

Yeah, this is where we could have done with a Beardsley-Bellamy striker to open up defences. Hughton was pinning a lot of hope in Ben Arfa, so his injury is limiting our development a bit. See edit above. Too late. Your post was exposed as horribly incomplete.

Yeah, this is where we could have done with a Beardsley-Bellamy striker to open up defences. Hughton was pinning a lot of hope in Ben Arfa, so his injury is limiting our development a bit.

The squad looks okay, apart from the strikers. With no Defoe or Rooney, we're left with three beanpoles and a speedster, of which two are inexperienced at that level.

I do wonder whether MA would still like to sell the club, and doesn't want a long-term contract for a manager and coach to get in the way. Despite the way that things have turned around, owning the club hasn't turned out to be the fun ride that he was hoping for initially, and it never will be. Unless you're some indulgent sugardaddy who's willing to keep on paying, you're bound to get some flack. He also thought he could put a Chief Exec in place and sit back and watch. In reality, he's had to be far more hands on. If the club stabilise in the Premiership, he may be hoping to sell it on at the end of the season.

Hughton is seeing something in Lovenkrands that I'm not.

Why does Ranger deserve to play out of position over our right winger? Ranger has also proven to be sloppy in possession playing out wide, something we cannot afford to do in the Prem. With Barton out, we need some creativity in midfield, and I think we have to play Guthrie in the middle because he really struggles out wide. That leaves the midfield looking a bit flimsy, and I'd prefer Ranger's physical presence in there. This will be a tough match, and we need everyone to get stuck in. It's not an easy choice, because Routledge does offer something, but I guess I don't have much faith in him delivering.

I'd pitch Ranger in rather than Routledge. In fact, I'd move Nolan forward, play Guthrie in the middle and Ranger out wide, where he played in the League Cup. Not ideal, but Guthrie tends to just lose the ball when he's out wide.

I've watched it again, and it smacks too much of the playground bully. I can't see that Pedersen does anything at all other than not get out of his way. We also can't be sure that Pedersen wasn't hurt. A dig in the ribs doesn't have to be done with full force.

Did anyone see this 'shoulder charge'? I couldn't see any physical contact from Pedersen, and assumed that he said something. You can't expect the ref or the FA to make a judgement about how hard the punch was, or where it connected. He threw a punch, there was some connection, that's it. I fear this ban will cost us. He's been a very important player for us.

I'd agree with this. Roberts is an experienced player and did just enough, within what refs tend to allow, to stop Colo and Williamson getting a proper challenge on the ball, which then broke very kindly for him. Colo allowed himself to get muscled onto the wrong side of the attacker, which was a fault we saw many times in his first season, but not so much now. I wouldn't consider dropping Williamson. He's a very calm defender who is decisive and takes responsibility.

The worry is his complete lack of composure. He seems way too pumped up and in that mood he does occasionally try to hurt. He needs to grow up before he does some serious damage.

Colo is making far fewer mistakes than before, and his ability to read his opponents and nick in with important tackles and interceptions is coming to the fore. It's also noticeable that we're protecting him from the weaker areas of his game. He's not being asked to mark the opposition's stronger players at defensive set pieces, and he's being allowed to move out of the defensive line into a sweeper position in some situations, so that his lack of pace isn't exposed. At first, he seemed to be frequently caught in no man's land, or on the wrong side of his opponent. Another triumph for Hughton, I suspect.

I felt that, unlike previous games, Barton struggled in that position against Arsenal. His lack of pace was shown up against athletic opponents. Not that he was our worst player, but he had dominated the opposition in his previous games. There was a rumour that we were after Jonathan Legear, from Anderlecht. From snippets, he looked the right player in the right position. Anyone know much about him?

Tiote and Barton are the players who we can't replace. Tiote for that energy he gives to the midfield, in attack and defence. Barton for those moments of class which can turn a game. We've got cover everywhere else (assuming Harper recovers).

I was away and missed the game, but I've just watched a recording. The team looks very relaxed but determined. Just the right mental state. We had a bit of luck, but we've had bad luck in other games so it evens out. I like watching Arsenal, but that weakness at CB and keeper is going to keep letting them down.

I really like his appetite for responsibility. When he gets the ball, he looks to do something positive, and if there's nothing on, he'll try to keep it until an opening arises. He doesn't just hoof it, or play it to a man who's in a weaker position than himself just to get rid. Unlike our Nicky.

Needs to improve his goal celebration too. That aeroplane bit looks naff.

I agree. I think his act needs to mature on the pitch as well. He can be a bit naive in his decision-making and still has a bit to learn. But he has the talent to be an international player. Obviously.

A very bad misjudgement by the anti-poppy brigade. Armistice Day isn't about governments and their decisions about whether or not to go to war. It's about individual young people, who did what they felt was their duty and risked their lives - and often lost their lives - for their country. Whether we think their government at the time was right or wrong isn't the point. It's about those young men who sacrificed themselves for what was felt to be the common good.

The major problem seems to be team spirit. With so many new players coming in, the manager has to actively get involved in bonding everyone together. Trouble is, I don't think Mancini is that sort of manager.